The Master Weaver's Plan
by LadyOfTheDrakon
Summary: Ashley has been having doubts about her beliefs. She decides to go to the firing range to vent, but finds a certain someone already there. Wow, I think I will always be bad at summaries.


Alright, here's another Shepley from me.

Takes place after the Cerberus Attack.

Also, it has some religion in it so if you're uncomfortable with that kind of stuff (which I doubt, if you like Ashley) you shouldn't read.

Disclaimer: Bioware own's all.

=\/=

Ashley just entered the Citadel Embassies.

She had finished spending the day with her youngest sister Sarah, and decided to get some target practice in before shipping out again.

She frowned as she passed the receptionists' desk, it was surrounded by spouses and parents looking for their loved ones, it reminded her of her sister. She wishes she could find some way to help them, but she knows she can't.

As she entered the Spectre Office her brows furrowed, someone was already in the firing range. Ashley, frustrated, walked to the window to see who she had to chew out for taking up her time. She smiled, though, when she saw who it was, Shepard.

He was in the middle of a level 10 simulation round. As the highest level, it has inexpensive mechs with rubber bullet ammunition and allows free roam. Despite it's supposed difficulty, though, Shepard was tearing through the mechs. He was either gunning them down with his pistol or crushing them with his biotics. With such a deadly combination, Shepard disposed of the mechs quickly and ended the level.

Ashley smiled as she walked into the firing range. "Damn, Shepard" she said, when she reached the Commander.

Shepard stretched his shoulders and back as they looked upon his handy work, the clean up mechs just started their job. "What'd you think?" he asked, smiling.

Ashley crossed her arms and shrugged. "It's okay. For a biotic," she answered, grinning, causing Shepard to raise an eyebrow.

"Think you can do better, Soldier Girl?" he asked, nudging her with enough force for her to slightly lose her balance.

"Please," she said, nudging Shepard back. "I could have taken all of them out with just one grenade."

"But you can run out of grenades, I'll always have my biotics," Shepard answered back.

"That's why I have an assault rifle too. You only have that little pea shooter," Ashley smirked as she walked to the workbench, with said assault rifle in hand.

"That's a little below the belt, Ash," Shepard said as he followed to stand next to her and help clean their guns.

At the bench, Ashley noticed that there were a lot of Shepard's power bar wrappers and energy drink bottles laying around. "How long have you been here?"

Shepard shrugged, "A few hours, maybe."

"You shouldn't work yourself too much," Ashley said solemnly. "You need to rest."

"I have too much on my mind," Shepard shrugged again.

Ashley didn't have to question him on that. She knew that he had a lot to think about and plan, and he wouldn't put any of it aside especially when lives were on the line.

After a moment in silence, Shepard looked at Ashley. "How's Sarah?"

Ashley looked up at the Commander and smiled. The look in his eyes told her that her sister was one of the things he's been thinking about. "She's better," she answered. "I told her that Thomas passed loving her and fighting for what he believed in. And that he's in a better place, like dad."

Shepard nodded. "He is. And now he isn't suffering and can keep an eye on her, keep her safe."

Ashley smiled. "That's what I said. But..."

Shepard looked down at Ashley when she stopped her work.

"She told me that she was having a hard time keeping the faith," Ashley finished, sadly.

"She hasn't given up has she?" Shepard asked concerned.

A small smile returned to Ashley's lips. "I told her that God is good and he would never forsaken us. That we need to stay strong because of him and for those around us. That helped her."

"Good. I wouldn't want her to give up," Shepard said, smiling as he returned to his shotgun.

Ashley, however, didn't move and stayed silent, the smile gone from her lips.

Shepard looked at her again. "Ash?" he asked gently, placing a hand on her shoulder.

She didn't look at him, though, and stared through the bench instead.

"What's wrong Ash?" Shepard asked as he turned her to face him, but she didn't look at him.

"What Sarah said made me think," she finally spoke, meeting his gaze. "What if there really isn't a God? And if he is real, why would he let something like the Reapers exist?" she finished, in a broken tone, looking down again.

Shepard sighed and brought her into a hug. "I know it's confusing," he began, gently. "But we can't give up. We need to trust what He does."

Ashley pulled away and looked at him. "But why would He want this? What good could come from this?" she said, still unsure of what to think.

Shepard's eye brows furrowed as he thought of what to say.

"I think," he said after a moment. "He wants all of us to come together; human, asari, turian, everyone. Before the Reapers, the only thing we did was fight each other and argue. But now we're working together, helping each other, trying to save and protect everyone."

"You really think that's His plan?" Ashley said with a small smile.

"I'm not sure if that's what he wants." Shepard shrugged, then smiled and took her hands.

"My life is but a weaving

Between the Lord and me;

I may not choose the colors-

He knows what they should be.

For He can view the pattern

Upon the upper side

While I can see it only

On this, the under side

Sometimes He weaves in sorrow,

Which seems so strange to me;

But I will trust His judgement

And work on faithfully.

'Tis He who fills the shuttle,

And He knows what is best;

So I shall weave in earnest,

And leave to Him the rest.

Not 'til the loom is silent

And the shuttles cease to fly

Shall God unroll the canvas

And explain the reason why.

The dark threads are as needed

In the Weaver's skillful hand

As the threads of gold and silver

In the pattern He has planned."

Ashley smiled at Shepard's words, her confidence renewed. Her smile lessened, though, as she looked at Shepard. "You've thought about this haven't you?"

"Yeah," he answered, slightly embarrassed.

"I'm glad I'm not the only one," Ashley confessed.

"There's a lot going on. It's getting harder to keep going, but we have to stay strong," he said, gently squeezing her hands.

Ashley nodded. "You're right," she said, squeezing his hands in return. "Thanks Shepard," she said with a grateful smile and turned back to the work bench. "Now come on, these guns won't clean themselves."

Shepard chuckled and began cleaning again. "Isn't that why you're back aboard?" he joked remembering that she always handled the weapons.

Ashley laughed and lightly elbowed him. "Not anymore, you're on your own now," she said, cause both of them to laugh.

=\/=

Tah Dah! Again!

Once again, sorry for my poor writing.

But yeah. Decided to write this after I read Hawki's _Horizon_, though my Shep reacts differently, so the basic idea goes to him.

This one was kinda weird because I knew how I wanted to start is but never knew how to end it, I had a lot of ideas of what could happen. Then I found _The Master Weaver's Plan_ by Benjamin Malachi Franklin (which was quoted by Corrie ten Bloom) and decided to write around that. I hope I did okay.

And sorry about the poem. I kept spacing it out so it would be easy to read but it wouldn't save.

...

Also, I don't know what to do, so I'm asking for all of your opinions.

Should I write the ME series?

It will be Shepley. But my Shepard is a Colonist/Sole Survivor, which is used by quite a few people so it won't be very different (though he still has personality differences).

I do have a couple of OCs that I want to add to the crew, so they will add some character.

I _really_ want your guys thoughts since all of you would be reading it, so _please_ let me know.

...

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this one.


End file.
